Sustainable Innovations Names Two Noted Executives As Independent Board Members

EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sustainable Innovations today announced the appointment of Jon Melzer and Walter (Chip) Schroeder as independent directors of the firm. "Our Board members embody the spirit of entrepreneurship, governance and the highest levels of experience. They bring talent, energy, industry and financial expertise to bear upon our success. We are very fortunate to have them by our side as we continue to commercialize technology in the advanced energy market space, and we're grateful for the benefit of their counsel," said Dr. Trent Molter, Founder, President and CEO.

"With more than 150 transactions to his credit over a more than three-decade career as a leading Industrial sector investment banker, Jon Melzer's significant experience and invaluable guidance will be critical to Sustainable Innovations as we seek further equity and debt financings, strategic joint ventures and ultimately, liquidity for our investors," added Dr. Molter.

"When my last company – Proton Energy Systems – was still in its ideation stage, I realized we'd need the benefit of a been-there, done-that CEO that could scale from startup through liquidity," continued Dr. Molter. "I asked Chip Schroeder to join us as a co-founder. Chip joined us as CEO and successfully executed Proton's rapid expansion; from start-up to successful Initial Public Offering took only five years. During that interval we launched several products, raised a cash balance of $160 M, grew to more than 140 employees, and attained a market value of $ 1Billion. The strength of Chip's belief in Sustainable Innovations' vision has led to his Board participation in my second company, which will be instrumental as we strive to repeat the success achieved by my first company."

Mr. Melzer is currently a Managing Director and co-head of the industrial investment banking practice at Duff and Phelps, a premier global valuation and corporate finance advisory firm. Previously, Mr. Melzer held similar leadership roles at Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, Rodman & Renshaw, and The First Boston Corporation and has more than 30 years of middle-market merger and acquisition, restructuring, financing and transaction opinion experience. He is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and holds his undergraduate degree in economics, with distinction, from Stanford University and a Masters in Accounting and Finance from NYU Stern School of Business.

Mr. Schroeder is currently President of Green Conversion Systems, a technology-driven, energy-from-waste (EfW) firm. Previously, Mr. Schroeder was CEO and co-founder of Proton Energy Systems, a CT-based fuel cell company co-founded with Dr. Molter. Prior to Proton, Mr. Schroeder had been President of the gas-power division of AES, a leading, publicly-traded US independent power producer. He has also held positions in the Federal Regulatory Commission and Goldman Sachs, where as a Managing Director, he specialized in the finance of traditional and renewable energy projects and related technology. Mr. Schroeder holds both undergraduate and Masters' degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

About Sustainable Innovations: Sustainable Innovations is fueled by a vision to create a paradigm shift in the way the world uses energy. Led by its founder, Dr. Trent Molter, SI represents over three decades of innovation in electrochemical systems. From hydrogen renewal and CO2 capture/conversion systems to long term energy storage products, SI develops and manufactures innovative products based on a proprietary, low-cost, large format electrochemical platform that transforms waste gases and power into higher value forms. With its significant IP portfolio and recently completed acquisition of competitor H2Pump, LLC, Sustainable Innovations is poised for rapid growth as it provides cost effective commercial solutions for the some of the world's most challenging energy and environmental problems.